The Edge of Ooo
by CleoArrow
Summary: Finn and Jake live happily in Ooo, protecting the Candy citizens, hanging with Princess Bubblegum, and occasionally going on a date with Flame Princess That one's just Finn . But when all the princesses suddenly go missing Finn and Jake must embark on a dangerous journey that might just give a hint to Finn's past. Will be some Flame/Finn. I do not own any rights to adventure time
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this is my first Adventure Time story. Normally I just write Zelda, so this will be a bit of a break for me. I'm going to try to include some of the randomness that they put in the show, but still keep it serious and sometimes funny. My other chapters will probably be longer than this one, but right now I'm just seeing what you guys think. Please comment.**

* * *

"Ice King!"

Finn flipped in from an open window and tackled the Ice King to the ground, the golden sword in the boy's hand flashing in the icy light. The two crashed onto the wall, knocking several frozen vases off the shelves.

"Finn!" the king of ice exclaimed. Finn balanced on the man's robed chest, his blade at the Ice King's neck. "What a nice surprise! You never drop by to just hang out! Ever!" The king of ice hesitated. "Er- that is what you're here for, right?"

"No!" Finn exclaimed. "What do you think I'm here for?! You stole another Princess, didn't you?!"

The Ice King shook his head, shock appearing on his blue face. "No! Kidnap a Princess?! I would never do that!" Finn raised an eyebrow. "Well... okay I would," the Ice King admitted, "b-but I haven't stolen a princess since last Tuesday, when I kidnapped Hot Dog Princess!"

Finn frowned and pushed his sword closer to the older man's throat. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Because I...um..." The Ice King paused. A glint of blue caught the corner of Finn's eye.

"Watch out, Finn!"

A yellow fist stretched in from over the boy's head and punched the crown from Ice King's snowy head. The jeweled crown clattered to the ground and Ice King's previously glowing fist suddenly froze in a chunk of solid ice. Jake stretched in beside Finn.

"You okay, buddy?" the pug asked.

Finn nodded. "Yeah. Thanks man."

"No probs."

The two turned back to the Ice King, who was clumsily fumbling at his frozen fist.

"G-gah! Backfired!" he stammered.

Finn frowned. "Now, Ice King, tell us where you hid Wildberry Princess!"

"But Finn! Jake! I swear I didn't take any Princess! You've got to believe me!"

"You haven't really given us any reason to, considering you just tried to freeze Finn's face off," Jake observed.

"Yeah!"

The King of Ice frantically shook his head, his snow-white hair falling over his eyes. "No! No! I swear I haven't stolen any princesses! Just look over at the cage I usually keep them in! No one's there!" Finn and Jake looked at the prison. The ice blue bars held no one captive.

"See! See! I told you! No Princess!"

Finn and Jake glanced at each other. Jake nodded and Finn stepped off the Ice King. The older man sat up, awkwardly dragging his ice-covered hand over the frozen floor.

"Alright, Ice King. You didn't capture anyone; I guess you're innocent," Finn admitted.

"That's what I've been saying all along!" the Ice King exclaimed.

"If you see any sign of Wildberry Princess, you'll tell us, won't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell you," the Ice King sighed. "_Unless I capture her myself first__,_" he muttered off to the side.

"What'd you say?" Jake demanded.

"Oh, nothing, nothing. I'll tell you guys if I see anything."

"Okay. I guess we'll be out of here then," Finn announced. He jumped onto Jake's back and the two started headed toward the window.

"Hey, wait you guys! Aren't you going to help get me free first?" The Ice King held up his frozen fist. "I don't want to lug this thing around on my hand all day!" Finn paused, seeming to consider it. Then he shook his head.

"Naw, consider it payback for almost freezing my face off." The boy grinned and he and Jake stretched out the window, leaving the Ice King behind in his castle of ice. As Finn and Jake moved farther and farther away from the fortress, the Ice King's voice was still easily audible. His shouts bounced loudly throughout the icy, solemn mountains, sending echoes into the distance.

"Oh, come on you guys! Don't just leave me here! My legs are falling asleep! I hate that! _I'm_ not tired, but my feet are! It doesn't make any sense! Ah, they're falling asleep! Oh-! Ah-! It hurts! It hurts! Are you still there?! Hey?! You guys?! Come on!"

* * *

"So the Ice King didn't capture Wildberry Princess. But if he didn't, then who did?" Finn pondered. "Where did Wildberry Princess go?" He and Jake walked across the lush, green pasture of the Grasslands. In the far distance, the Snowy Mountains of the Ice King peaked high in the sky, and only a few miles away the usual chatter of the residents of the Candy Castle was slightly audible.

"I dunno man," Jake said. He stretched over a particularly large rock. "Maybe she just went off on her own, found some handsome Wildberry Prince, fell in love at first sight, got married, and then rode off into the sunset."

Finn frowned. "Really?"

"Naw, I doubt it." Jake shrugged. "I'm only being optimistic. It's more likely that she just got lost or something. I'm sure she'll find her way back eventually."

"Oh." Finn stared at the ground, thinking. "So… that means that we're free this afternoon?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Jake examined his friend curiously. "What idea have you got cooking up there in that crazy head of yours, Finn?"

* * *

Two hours later, Finn and Jake were back in their tree-house home, sitting on the couch and energetically playing video games on Beemo.

"Duck man! Duck! Okay, now jump over the bridge!" Jake cried.

"I am, man!"

"I know, I know. We're almost there! Now all we have to do is beat up the guards and grab the key!"

Finn and Jake pounded on their controls furiously.

"We've got this, man!" Finn exclaimed.

"I know, I know! Just concentrate! Don't let anything distract you! We're almost there!"

_'Ring, ring.'_

The phone rang.

"Don't touch it, dude!" Jake told Finn. "Just a few more seconds and we've won!"

'_Ring, ring.'_

Finn glanced at the telephone. "You know, we should probably get that." He stood.

"No, man, sit down! We're almost done!" Jake stretched his tail out and yanked his friend back on the couch. "Pick up the controller, dude!

'_Ring, ring.'_

Finn pulled at Jake's tail. "No man, it could be important!"

"Just wait, dude!"

"No! Jake, quit it!"

'_Ring, ring.'_

The two friends strained against each other, and, with a sudden '_pop,_ broke apart. Finn dove for the phone.

"Finn, nooooooo!" Jake exclaimed.

'_Ring, ri-.'_

"Hello?" Finn answered.

"_Finn? This is Princess Bubblegum."_

"Ah, no, Finn!" Jake complained. "I died! Come on, dude! Now we have to do it all over again!"

"Shh," Finn shushed. "It's Princess Bubblegum."

_"Finn, have you found Wildberry Princess?"_

"Uh, no, but we stopped by the Ice King's castle and he didn't have her. Jake said that she probably ran off and got married or something."

_"What?!"_

"Um- er-uh, Jake said she probably ran off and got lost or something. I bet she'll find her way back in a little while."

"_Well… Knowing Wildberry Princess, that __is__ likely that she's lost." _Princess Bubblegum sighed, sending static through the phone._ "But that still doesn't give you an excuse to sit around and play video games all day. Go out and look for her."_

"Okay, Princess."

"_And while you're at it, keep an eye out for Hot Dog Princess too. She went missing this morning."_

"We'll get right on it, PB." Finn hung up the phone and turned to Jake, who was sulking on the couch. "Princess Bubblegum said we had to go look for Wildberry Princess and Hot Dog Princess."

"Why? What happened to Hot Dog Princess?"

"I dunno. PB said that she disappeared this morning."

"Well… alright. Let's go." Jake hopped off the sofa. "But when we get back, I want to finish that level in the video game. And _no distractions._"

"Yeah, yeah man. I gotcha."


	2. Chapter 2

"When was it you last saw Hot Dog Princess?" Finn leaned over the tiny hot dogs guards, an eyebrow raised. He and Jake were at the Hot Dog Princess's home, the place she had last been spotted.

"Well?" Jake inquired. The tiny hot dog men trembled, their miniature red knees shaking feverishly.

"W-we haven't seen her since breakfast."

"Yeah," another piped up. "After breakfast she said she was going to take a nap. We came in to check on her an hour later and she was gone."

"Gone, hm?" Finn put a finger to his chin, thinking. "Has anyone else had access to her room during that time?"

"Not that we know of," a guard replied.

"Well okay. We tried. Time to go," Jake announced and started walking toward the exit.

"Jake!" Finn grabbed his friend's fur. Jake looked back. "We haven't even looked in her room yet! How can you say we're done?"

"I say we're done because we've got- what- an hour of sunlight left? I want to go play video games, dude! And plus, it's spaghetti night! _Please_?"

"No, man. We at least have to go explore her room."

"Dude, her bedroom is _outside_ surrounded by a picket fence! She could have just stepped over the fence and left and we would have no way of knowing it!"

Finn frowned. "Well… you have a point…" He shook his head. "Alright, fine. We can go back if you want."

"Yes! Thank you, dude!" Jake stretched out the door. "Spaghetti, here I come! Don't start the party without me, meatballs!" Finn grinned and started after his friend, when one of the hot dog guards spoke up.

"Wait, giant sir! You cannot just leave us in a state of worry over our princess! What if she was kidnapped?!" he exclaimed. The other guards trembled, their tiny red hot dog bodies shaking feverishly.

Finn frowned. "Well, what do you want me to do?" He paused. "I guess I could examine her room if it would make you feel better."

"Yes, giant sir! It would please us so greatly for you to do that!"

"Okay, I'll go check it out," Finn decided. He turned to the exit and cupped his hands over his mouth. "Hey Jake?!" he shouted. "I'm going to look through Hot Dog Princess's room real quick! Go on ahead of me, okay?!"

"Sure, man!" Jake shouted back. "Just don't take too long!"

"Okay!"

* * *

Finn walked over the windy grassland back towards his tree-house home. There had been nothing out of the ordinary in the Hot Dog Princess's bedroom, and the examination had been a complete waste of time. The sun was almost set and Finn still had a half-hour walk back to his house. He also hadn't had anything to eat for dinner yet. The boy's stomach growled.

"I know, tummy. I'll fill you up soon," Finn promised. A glowing light suddenly appeared behind him.

"Fill who up soon?"

Finn turned around and was greeted with-. "Flame Princess! What are you doing here?"

"Seeing what _you_ are doing, silly!" The princess of fire smiled, her flame flickering around her body brightly. "Where have you been all day?"

"Me? O-oh, I was just looking for Wildberry Princess and Hot Dog Princess."

Flame Princess tilted her head curiously. "Why? What happened?"

Finn shrugged. "I'm not sure. They disappeared a little while ago and Princess Bubblegum wanted us to find out where they went."

"Oh, okay. Where's Jake?"

"Jake? He went home to start making spaghetti for dinner."

"Spaghetti?" Flame Princess sat down on the ground and crossed her legs. She tilted her head curiously. "What's that?"

"Spaghetti?" Finn sat down next the princess. "Well, it's a really delicious, but a really messy meal made from noodles and meatballs. It has garlic and tomato sauce in it." The boy grinned. "Sometimes Jake and I like to dangle the noodles around our mouths and pretend we have mustaches. Then we like to eat them."

"Your mustaches?"

"What? Oh!" Finn reddened. "N-no, the noodles! Eat the noodles! We don't actually have mustaches, and of course we don't eat them!"

Flame Princess laughed, a warm, soft sound. Her fire danced brightly into the night sky. Finn blushed.

"I'm just joking, Finn. I know what you meant. That actually sounds fun. I'd enjoy it if I could have spaghetti with you. Do you think I could come over?"

"Come over? Sure. I'd be fine with it, and I'm sure Jake wouldn't mind." The two stood. "Let's go."

* * *

"Jake! I'm back!"

Jake looked up. He was working at the stove in the kitchen with a large pot placed on top of the burner and spaghetti spilling out the sides. A bowl of meatballs was on the wooden table beside him.

"Finn bro! You're back! What took you so long, man? I'm nearly done cooking!"

"Well…" Finn smiled shyly and stepped to the side. Just outside the door, Flame Princess waved hello. Jake grinned and waved back.

"Oh, I get it. But Finn," Jake whispered, "you know we can't have her in the house! She'll just end up burning everything down!"

"Jake!" Finn glanced over his shoulder at Flame Princess. She was peering in around the room and hadn't heard the yellow bulldog's words. "She would never do that on purpose! You know that!"

"I know she wouldn't do it on _purpose_, but it might accidentally happen anyway."

"I know, I know. That's why I have a proposal for you. Could we have dinner outside tonight?" Finn asked.

"Outside? Hm… Well, as long as the princess doesn't burn too much, I guess it's okay. Hey Flame Princess!" Jake suddenly called. "You promise you won't catch the grass on fire and burn our house down, right?"

"Jake!" Finn hissed.

Flame Princess smiled. "Of course I promise. Why would I do that?"

"No reason. Just checking," Jake answered. He turned back to Finn. "Okay, sure, let's eat outside. You two go on ahead; I'll be out when I'm done cooking." Jake raised his eyebrows mischievously. "Let you two lovebirds have some time alone."

"_Jake!"_ Finn exclaimed, flushing furiously red.

Jake chuckled. "You're so easy, man. Now get on out there!" He pushed Finn outside with a giant paw and shut the door with a slight 'thud.'

Finn turned to Flame Princess, his cheeks red. She looked at him curiously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, J-Jake's just being silly."

Flame Princess smiled warmly and took his hand. A small sizzling sound filled the air and Finn jerked his hand back.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, examining his burnt hand.

"Oh! Finn, I'm sorry! I forgot!" Flame Princess apologized. Finn looked at her and shook his head.

"No, it's okay. Hang on," he added, and ran over to a container next to the house. He bent over, digging though the contents of the box before moving away, holding a roll of tin foil. Finn quickly wrapped it around his hand in a metal glove and walked back to Flame Princess. Almost shyly, he took her hand. Her bright flame licked lightly at the tin.

Finn smiled. "See? No problem."

* * *

"Finn, what are those?"

Finn and the Flame Princess lay on the grass, hand in tin-foil hand, just a few minutes away from the tree house, staring at the shining stars in the night sky. Flame Princess pointed up.

"What are those balls of light?" she asked.

Finn looked at her. "What, the stars?"

"…Stars?"

"Yeah, stars. Jake says that they're giant suns and planets far away in outer space."

"Really? But there's so many of them."

"Yeah, there is." Finn scanned over the sky and spotted the moon. "You know what that big circle is called?"

"That one?"

"Yeah."

"What's it called?"

"That's the moon."

"The moon?" Flame Princess tilted her head. "Is that a planet too?"

"I think so," Finn answered. "Did you know it changes shape? One night it's a huge circle and the next, it's just like a banana."

Flame Princess laughed. "A banana?"

Finn smiled. "Yeah. Jake says it's because Glob gets hungry every night and takes a big bite out of the moon." The boy looked at the sky. "He keeps doing this until the moon disappears altogether. Then for a few nights he rests, and the moon eventually grows back from tiny specks leftover into a giant circle again."

"Really?"

"That's what Jake says. He also says that the moon tastes just like cheesecake."

Flame Princess giggled. "Jake's got quite an imagination." She glanced at Finn. "Do you believe that Glob really eats the moon?"

"Well… No, not really," Finn admitted. "But what other explanation is there for it?"

"Hm. I guess you're right." The princess of fire rolled onto her side, looking at Finn. "Um… Finn?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are you from?"

"W-what?"

"Where were you born?"

"W-where did this come from?" Finn asked, sitting up.

Flame Princess shrugged. "I dunno. I guess that you've just never talked about it." She examined the boy. "I'm just curious."

Finn bit his lip. "Well… I don't know…"

"You don't have to say if you don't want to."

"No, that's not it." Finn shook his head. "What I'm saying is that I don't know where I'm from."

"O-oh."

Finn leaned back again, staring at the stars. "I don't know anything about my origin. All the other humans had disappeared before I was born. Apparently I'm the last." Flame Princess watched him, sadness in her orange eyes. She gently squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

Finn smiled, still staring at the stars. "It's okay. I'm not really upset about it. If I'm here, it's for a reason. And I believe that reason is to protect Ooo from any danger or threat."

"Alright, who's ready for some spaghettiiiiiii?" Jake called. He danced out of the house over to Finn and the Flame Princess, spun a few times, and then landed on his butt on the grass. In his out-stretched paw, he held three platters of spaghetti and meatballs. Finn and Flame Princess sat up.

"Are you ready for the awesomeness of spaghetti?" Jake challenged. Finn grinned and pumped his fist in the air.

"I'm ready!" he exclaimed. "Hit me, Jake!"

Jake pulled his hand back and slung a full plate through the air at Finn. The boy jumped in the air, caught the plate, and flipped back down, only spilling a few noodles. Jake stretched another plate over to the Flame Princess.

"And a plate for the lady friend," he announced, handing it to the princess. Flame Princess took the plate in her hand and examined it curiously. She picked up a noodle and popped it in her mouth. Finn sat down next to her again.

"So what do you think, Flame Princess?" he asked.

The Princess of Fire grinned and clapped her hands together. "I love it!"

Finn turned to Jake. "Did you hear that, Jake? She loves it!"

Jake, who was slurping noisily on a particularly long noodle, paused. He looked up. "Hm? What'd ya say?"

"Hey Finn," Flame Princess called. Finn looked back to her. The princess had a noodle carefully balanced under her nose. "Like my mustache?"

Finn blushed, remembering their earlier conversation, and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh. It looks great, Princess."

Flame Princess smiled and the noodle slipped down back onto her plate. "Oops," she grinned. Finn laughed and Flame Princess joined in. Beemo waddled over to the small group from the tree house and sat down.

"Can I have some spaghetti, Finn?" the robot asked.

"Um… You know that you can't really eat, right Beemo?" Finn answered.

"So?"

Finn shrugged and handed him a plate. Beemo picked up the food and put it up to his screen. He moved his mouth up and down as if he were really eating.

"Om, nom nom," the robot said. Flame Princess laughed again, and Finn smiled warmly. Far above them, the silver stars twinkled.

* * *

"Dude! Dude, get up!" Finn awoke to find Jake shaking him anxiously. The yellow dog looked frantic. "Finn man, it's real bad!"

"W-what?" Finn blinked, still fighting off the lull of sleep. He sluggishly rubbed his eyes.

"She's gone, man!"

"Who?" Terror struck Finn's chest. He sat up. "Is it Flame Princess? Is she okay?"

"Flame Princess is fine. She went home last night, remember?"

"Well, then who's gone?" Finn demanded.

Jake bit his lip. "It's Princess Bubblegum, man. She's disappeared!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Gone?! What do you mean, gone?!" Finn exclaimed, his heart pounding.

Jake shook his head. "I just got a call from Peppermint Butler. He sounded really frantic and his words were stumbling all over the place. I finally got the story out of him, but she's gone man. Princess Bubblegum's disappeared."

Without another word, Finn jumped out of his bed and ran toward the bedroom ladder. Jake stretched over to him.

"Wait Finn!" The yellow dog landed in front of the boy, intercepting him before he could reach ladder. "What are you planning to do? Don't go making a fool of yourself! We both know how you get when it comes to Princess Bubblegum, dude!"

Finn colored slightly but still shook his head. "What do you think I'm going to do? I have to find out what happened!" He moved around Jake and slid down the ladder.

"But Finn! Listen to me for a minute!" Jake called down to him.

"I don't have a minute! Princess Bubblegum is in trouble!"

"But dude… I really think you should at change out of your pj's!"

Finn gave no response.

"At least put some pants on!" Jake shouted down the ladder.

"There's no time for pants, man!" Finn yelled. "We gotta go!"

Jake shrugged and slid down after the boy. As a second thought, the dog extended an arm back into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of Finn's typical blue garb. "He'll thank me later," he decided.

* * *

"Thank goodness you're here!" Peppermint Butler exclaimed. "Come with me quickly!" The butler jogged down the candy corridors, taking quick turns around the corner. Finn and Jake followed him closely, and soon the trio arrived outside Princess Bubblegum's bedroom.

"Brace yourselves," Peppermint Butler warned and creaked open the door. Finn and Jake stepped into the room.

At first everything seemed to be fairly normal. Nothing appeared to be out of place in the dark shadows of the room. Curtains hung from the walls, waving slightly in the wind. The faint outline of Princess Bubblegum's bed was visible in the center of the room. Peppermint Butler stepped forward and flipped the light switch, illuminating the bedroom in a bright light.

Princess Bubblegum's usually neat bed had its' sheets thrown all over the floor. Some of the blankets had rips in them. The pink mattress was hanging over half of the bed, its corner touching the rug. The carpet itself was shredded, pieces of cloth lying all over the place. The windows dripped with a black liquid and pieces of the wall were cracked as if someone had been shoved against the plaster several times.

"When the Princess didn't come down this morning to check on her experiments, I went to see if she was alright," Peppermint Butler explained. "This is what I found."

Finn was silent.

Jake glanced at the boy. He had a dead serious expression on his face and hands were in tight fists.

"Finn." Jake touched his friend's arm. "Finn, calm down. She's fine. This is Princess Bubblegum we're talking about! Remember when she fought off Ricardio all by herself?"

Finn took a deep breath. "Yeah. I remember." He closed his eyes and took another breath. When he opened his eyes, he seemed calmer. "Okay. Let's look for clues." He and Jake walked forward into the bedroom and began to inspect everything: the curtains, the bed, the claw marks, and most of all, the black goop.

"What on earth is this stuff?" Jake wondered, poking at the strange black goo dripping from the windows. He carefully sniffed the liquid.

"What does it smell like?" Finn asked.

Jake turned to the boy, confusion on his face. "It smells like… nothing. It doesn't have a scent." He put a finger in the goop and put it in his mouth.

"Dude!" Finn exclaimed. "Jake! Don't just lick stuff!"

"What? I'm hungry! I haven't eaten breakfast yet!"

"Come on, man!"

Jake grimaced and spat the liquid out.

Finn frowned. "Um… So what did it taste like?"

The yellow dog raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you try it yourself and find out?"

"Jake! No!"

Jake smiled. "Fine, fine. It tasted just like it smelled; like nothing."

"Oh!"

An exclamation of surprise made everyone turn to the door. In the entryway, a chocolate-candy girl stood with her hands over her mouth. Peppermint Butler quickly stepped in front of her, blocking the ruined room from view.

"W-what-h-ha-?" the chocolate girl stammered.

"This isn't what it looks like," the butler explained calmly. "We are performing an experiment. That is why the room is in the shape it is. You have nothing to worry about. Everything is fine."

"O-okay," was the response. The candy girl peeked around at Finn and Jake. Her brown cheeks reddened slightly and she whispered something to Peppermint Butler. The butler nodded. The chocolate girl walked away and Peppermint Butler closed the door. He turned to Finn and Jake.

"So…?" Finn asked.

"When I called you, did you two come over immediately?" the butler asked.

"Of course!"

Peppermint Butler raised an eyebrow. "I can tell," he stated, examining Finn's unusual pajama outfit. Finn seemed oblivious to the butler's stare.

"Dude," Jake whispered. "I think he wants you to put on your normal clothes. Especially the pants," he added.

Peppermint Butler nodded. "Miss Cocoa agrees."

"O-oh…" Finn smiled sheepishly and turned to Jake. "I think I'll take those clothes you grabbed for me now."

* * *

A few minutes later, Finn was searching through the bedroom once again, this time dressed in his usual garb instead of his pajamas. After a few minutes, he threw his hands in the air.

"I don't know what to do! Nothing indicates where Princess Bubblegum could have gone except this weird black goop." Finn poked the liquid tentatively, as if it would come alive and eat his hand. For all the boy knew, it might do just that. "This is weird stuff, man," Finn observed as the goop rippled thickly around his finger.

"I wonder how it connects to PB being gone," Jake pondered.

"Finn, Jake." The two brothers turned around. Peppermint Butler stood behind them, holding a platter of steaming cinnamon buns in his small hands. "Since you obviously came over here as soon as I called, I assume that you haven't eaten yet." The butler held the plate forward. "So I brought you some breakfast."

"Thanks for the offer, but we're good," Finn declined. "We don't want you to go to all the trouble of having to make us something to eat."

"FOOD!" Jake exclaimed, running toward the dish. He grabbed several rolls and shoved them into his mouth. The dog's eyes closed in pleasure. "Oh, man it's so good! I'm starving!"

"Dude!" Finn complained. "You're spilling crumbs all over Princess Bubblegum's carpet!"

"I'm what?" Jake asked, spraying cinnamon specks.

"_Dude!"_ Finn exclaimed.

"Sorry," Jake grinned. "But it's not like her carpet isn't ruined already."

"_Jake!"_

"It is alright. It shall be cleaned up in a jiffy," Peppermint Butler assured. The butler set the platter on a nearby table and grabbed a nearby broom. He began to sweep all the crumbs into a neat little pile while Jake continued to indulge himself in the cinnamon buns. Finn rolled his eyes and turned back to examine the strange black liquid again when his foot caught on something. The boy paused and looked down. Peppermint Butler noticed his movement.

"What seems to be the matter?" he asked.

Finn hesitated. "I-… don't know."

"What do you mean?"

Without answering, Finn bent down and quietly picked up the object that he had tripped on. He stared at the item wordlessly. The whole room fell silent and even Jake seemed to sense the change in atmosphere. He stopped eating his cinnamon buns and stepped over to Finn.

In the boy's hand was a shimmering golden crown. A red jewel was embedded in its' lengthened crest and its ice metal glistened in the dim morning light. Finn's grip tightened around the circlet.

"Whoa. Hey. Finn, it's okay. We'll find her. This is Princess Bubblegum!" Jake reminded. "She's sure to be fine!"

"I know, Jake," Finn replied quietly. He didn't say any more. Jake glanced worriedly at Peppermint Butler who, in return, stared at the floor.

"Hey, you guys!" An unexpected voice broke the dead silence and everyone looked to the doorway. Cinnamon Bun stood in the entrance, a strange, urgent expression on his sugared face. "Can anyone direct me to the bathroom?" he asked. His eyes fell on Jake's plate of half-eaten cinnamon buns and his brown eyes grew wide. "Hey, what the-? Where did you guys get these little fellas? I didn't know I had relatives around here!" Cinnamon Bun paused. "I wonder if they taste as good as I do?" he wondered and picked a roll up.

"Oookay Cinnamon Bun, let's get you out of here," Jake suggested. He carefully swatted the bun out of Cinnamon Bun's hand before he could eat it and guided the curious candy-being out of the room.

As he was herded out, Cinnamon Bun called back. "Hey! What _are_ you guys doing in Princess Bubblegum's bedroom? Did something happen?"

"Don't worry about it, Cinnamon Bun," Jake assured. "That's our job," he murmured. The yellow dog pushed the candy man out of the room and into the hall. As Jake closed the door behind him, he could hear Cinnamon Bun calling.

"Well, if you won't tell me what's going on, then at least show me where the bathroom is!"

* * *

**For those of you who might be wondering, this _is_ Flame/Finn. I just had to include how I thought Finn would react to PB disappearing, because he still does care for her in a way. I'll try to have some Flame/Finn in the next chapter though.**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe we didn't find any clues indicating where Princess Bubblegum disappeared to," Finn sighed, staring at the green grass beneath his feet.

"Well, at least we have that weird goop," Jake reminded. "Peppermint Butler said that he would analyze it and tell us what he found tomorrow."

Finn kicked at a dirt clump. "Yeah. I guess that's something."

Jake glanced at his human friend and sighed. "Listen man, it'll be okay," the dog reassured. "When we get home I'll cook up something great for you to eat and then we'll play video games for a while on Beemo. That should take your mind off of things." Jake looked up to see their tree-house home just a few steps away. In the far distance, the sunset sent a warm glow across the grassland. "Hey look, we're already here. Come on, man let's go in."

"No thanks, Jake." Finn turned around and stared at the sun. "I just want to be alone for a while."

Jake frowned worriedly. "Are you sure, man?"

"Yeah, Jake."

The dog glanced at his friend worriedly, but nodded. "Well… okay. Just come in when you're ready. I'll be making dinner," he said.

Finn nodded and Jake reluctantly stretched inside the house. The human boy sat down and stared at the ground. He silently traced his fingers through the grass, staring at the smallest detail on the plants' blades. The small tips tickled the palm of his hand, causing a strange tingling sensation to slip up his fingers. A cool breeze blew over the grassland, sending a shiver down Finn's spine. The cold was suddenly banished by an unexpected warmth from behind him. The boy turned around.

"Hey, Finn," Flame Princess said.

* * *

Princess Bubblegum opened her eyes, blinking away crumbs of dirt and dust. She was in a dark cavern with only the slightest light shining in from a hidden source. The candy princess shook her head, clearing her thoughts and attempting to push away the throbbing headache she had just become aware of. She tried to sit up, but was prevented from completing her action by tight ropes bound around her arms and legs. Bubblegum grit her teeth in frustration.

The surrounding darkness pressed in on her and Bubblegum paused, taking a deep breath and mentally running a systems check. The only pain she was aware of was the lump on her head, but her dress felt slightly tattered and grubby, as if it had been dragged on the ground and snagged on branches along the way. One of her feet was bare and dirty, and Bubblegum realized she was missing the familiar weight of her crown.

"Is anyone here?" she called out. Silence greeted her words. "Hello?" she tried again. Once more no one answered. "Great," the princess sighed, staring at the ceiling stalactites' faint outline. Bubblegum found her mind wandering back to the night before, when the dark being had entered her bedroom.

* * *

Princess Bubblegum had just finished placing her experiments back in their proper containment holds and had been about to go to sleep when she had heard a strange suction-like sound coming from outside. The princess had been about to investigate when the window had suddenly shattered. Glass had shot everywhere at a terrific speed, slicing through the curtains and some of the sheets on Princess Bubblegum's bed. The candy princess had ducked down behind her mattress and managed to avoid injury, but that had only been the beginning.

A strange, dark creature made of black goo had slid in from the destroyed window, trailing murky sludge along the wall and rug behind it. It had no obvious limbs; only a giant mass of a body and two white, glowing eyes. The eyes slid around on the body, apparently having no limitations to where it had to be located on the sludge.

Princess Bubblegum, realizing that screaming would take up precious seconds, had shoved her mattress toward the alien creature in an effort to distract it and ran toward the door. The goo creature had completely ignored her bed and slipped at an unnatural speed in front of the exit, blocking the princess's change of escape. Bubblegum had backpedaled and scrambled away from the monster, back towards her nightstand.

The candy princess had only gone a few steps before the goo surround her. Darkness had encircled Princess Bubblegum, cold black tendrils suddenly appearing and brushing up against her arms and legs. The candy princess gasped in surprise and terror. The freezing limbs had gripped Bubblegum in a tight hold, many strapping her legs and arms tightly against her body, several securing themselves over her mouth, while others entangled themselves in her pink hair and sending a numb chill up her spine and all throughout her body. The gloom had continued to move on its own accord, trapping Princess Bubblegum until she was helpless.

The princess had struggled as best she could, but unable to cry out or move her arms and legs, her actions were useless. The goo had dragged the candy girl toward the window, obviously intending to bring her with. About halfway through broken window, Princess Bubblegum had somehow found the strength to jerk her leg free. She had continued to smash it into the only physical feature apparent on the creature: its eye.

The goo had reared away, back toward the princess's bedroom, and Princess Bubblegum stumbled onto her carpet. Quickly, she had scrambled toward the door. Her fingers had been only a few inches from the handle when the goo creature had snatched her around the ankle. Bubblegum had crashed to the ground, but the murky monster wasn't done. Enraged by her foot kicking its white eye, the goo had clearly had enough with the princess. It had thrust her back to the wall several times, cracking large breaks in the plaster. The last hit had sent Princess Bubblegum into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Enjoying your stay?" A deep voice from behind the candy princess interrupted her thoughts. The candy princess rolled over onto her stomach, looking for the speaker, but no one was visible in the darkness.

"Hello?" she called. "Where are you?" No one answered, and the princess abruptly got the impression that the silent speaker was laughing at her. "If you are here, speak!" Bubblegum cried, suddenly angry. "Who are you?! Why am I here?! What do you want?!" Her words echoed throughout the cavern, bouncing off the walls. Her voice was allowed to fade into the distance before the anonymous individual spoke again.

"Why are you here indeed?" they asked. "Well, Princess Bubblegum, I would tell you, but it's not quite time yet. No, no, not yet. It's all according to my plan. And my plan has yet to take place, you see? Just be patient," the speaker sighed.

"Release me!" Bubblegum demanded, thrashing about on the floor. "You have no right to do this!"

"No right, Princess?" The voice sighed sadly. "Oh, you have no idea how wrong you are. I have every right." Footsteps began to walk farther down the cavern, carrying the unknown speaker with them. "You'll see just why someday soon, Princess Bubblegum. But for now enjoy your stay. I'll send food down in an hour or two." The footsteps paused. "And while you're sitting there, thinking with your genius brain, remember about how your people came to be. Maybe then you'll realize who I am."

And the voice left Princess Bubblegum, their words swirling about her head and imploring for an answer to just what the mysterious person meant.

* * *

**I am SO sorry for not updating. I've had no inspiriation lately, but I promise to try to update sooner next time.**

**Review Please!**


	5. Chapter 5

_'Ring ring'._

Jake set down his spoon in the bowl of sauce he was making and stretched over to the phone. "Hello, Jake speaking."

"_Jake?"_

"Yeah?"

"_This is Peppermint Butler."_

"Peppermint Butler? Do you have news on Princess Bubblegum?" Jake asked. The yellow dog looked outside anxiously at Finn, who was still staring at the grass. Jake frowned worriedly. "Please tell me you do. Finn's just moping around outside. He really needs some good news."

_"Sorry Jake," _the butler apologized. _"I have no good news. I was analyzing that goop found in Her Highness's bedroom and found traces of strange DNA. I ran it through all the databases that the Princess keeps and discovered no matches. In fact, the closest it came to was… __Finn's__ DNA."_

"What?!" Jake whirled back to the window as if the new information might affect Finn right then. Of course, the human boy hadn't moved. The magic dog turned his attention to the phone once again. "You're not suggesting…?"

_"No, no,"_ the candy butler assured hastily. "_I just thought you'd want to know."_

Jake exhaled. "Well, okay." The phone was silent. "Is that all?"

_"Well… No," _Peppermint Butler admitted. _"There is something else. When I was running it through the database, it brought up traces of several Princesses mixed into it. I did some tests and it shows that the princess DNA was not part of the goo but instead just on it, like it had come in contact with the princess's recently."_

Jake was silent.

"_Jake?"_

"I'm still here. Just thinking."

A clatter was audible through the phone from Peppermint Butler's side. _"Oops!_ _Listen Jake, I have to go. Tell Finn about this, okay?"_

"Okay." Jake hung up and turned to stare outside the window at his human friend. Flame Princess had appeared and was now speaking to the boy. "Finn's DNA…," Jake mused. "What does that mean?"

* * *

"Hey Finn," Flame Princess greeted. Finn smiled slightly at her, his thoughts still distracted by the day's earlier events. Flame Princess seemed to sense his emotions were jumbled and she sat down next to him, dimming her flame in case she might accidentally burn him. "Are you okay?"

"What?" Finn asked, jerking his attention to the princess beside him. Flame Princess watched the boy, worry gracing her warm features.

"Are you okay?" she repeated. "I heard what happened and I know how close you were to her. I wanted to make sure you were o-okay." Finn heard the hesitation in her voice and it was enough to pull him out of his daze. He turned to her.

"No, no I'm fine!" he exclaimed. "I'm just worried about PB." The boy's blue eyes scanned over his girlfriend. Flame Princess was staring at the ground, her hands clasped together on her lap and her feet tucked under her legs. Finn felt his heart flicker in pain. He had been so focused on Princess Bubblegum that he had forgotten to consider Flame Princess's feelings. He knew that she was slightly threatened by his past feelings for the candy princess, even though Finn had promised that he was over her.

"Hey," he murmured. "I'm sorry." Finn placed his hand over Flame Princess's, wincing slightly at the fire but not moving away. Flame Princess's eyes grew wide and she looked at him.

"Finn, your hand-."

"It's okay," he smiled. "It doesn't hurt as much as it used to."

The princess of fire smiled slightly and gently moved his hand back. "That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," she reminded.

Finn grinned lopsidedly and unconsciously rubbed his somewhat burnt fingers. "I guess," he said. Flame Princess smiled again and sat closer to the human boy.

"I just worry about you," she said. Finn gently kissed his thumb and softly stroked Flame Princess's cheek with it. Smiling, she did the same back. It was a small action they had begun to use after the first time the two had kissed. Since they both agreed it obviously wasn't safe enough to kiss anymore, and because Finn didn't want to lose his girlfriend in the center of the earth, they created the thumb action meaning the same as a kiss. And, on the plus side, it called for little contact between them so Finn wouldn't be injured or burnt in any way.

"Isn't that sweet?" A voice from behind made both Finn and Flame Princess jump. Finn whirled around and was shocked to see a dark, gooey form rising out of the pool just outside of his and Jake's house.

"What the-?" the human boy gasped. He felt Flame Princess crouching behind him. Finn drew his dad's sword.

"Yet, however sweet it may be, I have no time for such pleasantries. I'm on a tight schedule." The goop's voice was coming from everywhere, and-at the same time-from nowhere. The only thing Finn could make out on its body was two glowing white eyes. The eyes slid around the black sludge, having no confines to its location. "So Finn," the voice said, "how about you just make this easier and bow out, hm?"

"What? No!" Finn exclaimed. "Get out of here!"

"Somehow I knew you'd say that," the goo sighed. "I suppose it makes sense, considering your origin."

This caught Finn of guard. He lowered his sword slightly. "W-what do you mean? What _are_ you?"

"I am someone who has no time to answer your questions." Dark tentacles suddenly stretched out of the mass of black. Finn brandished his weapon and stepped closer to Flame Princess. The tendrils of shadow shot forward and hurdled over the human boy, instead wrapping itself around the princess of fire.

"Finn!" she cried, pulling away from the black tendrils. Finn swung his weapon at the tentacles, his dad's blade cutting through one of the shadow limbs. The goo retreated slightly as if in pain but another just raced past him. Slowly but surely, Flame Princess was beginning to be dragged away.

"Hang on!" Finn shouted, slicing at the persisting tendrils.

Flame Princess didn't answer; instead, she closed her eyes and abruptly the flame around her burned even brighter and fierier. It was so intense that Finn actually had to look away in order to prevent himself from being blinded. Gradually the light faded and Finn opened his eyes. The black goo was shriveling back into the shadows, its dark skin smoking and burnt. Flame Princess lay on the grass, her eyes closed and her flame dim. Finn crouched next to her.

"Flame Princess?"

Flame Princess opened her eyes slowly and then suddenly with urgency. She grabbed Finn's arm. The boy ignored the pain her touch brought and grasped her hand. "Are you okay?"

"Behind you."

"What?"

A sharp, solid object hit Finn in the back of his head. Darkness conquered his vision and the human boy slid to the ground, unconscious before he landed on the grass.


	6. Chapter 6

**I have no words to say just how sorry I am for not updating, and I know there is nothing I can say to show you just how sorry I feel. With summer vacation coming up though, I will have more time to write and I WILL update soon. I swear it!**

* * *

"Finn? Finn? Wake up, Finn!"

Finn opened his eyes, a dull ache at the back of his skull. Grass blades tickled his legs, and he could feel crushed foliage under his body. A yellow dog entered his vision. "Finn?" Jake's eyes were wide with worry. Finn sat up, putting a hand to his head, and looked around. He was sitting at the base of the tree house, the same place where he'd been talking to…

"Flame Princess?!" Finn cried. "She-." He cut off as Jake stared at the ground. "No…," the boy breathed.

"I'm sorry Finn," Jake murmured. "I ran out as soon as I saw you fighting, but that thing was too fast for me. I couldn't stop it."

"What _was_ it?"

Jake looked surprised. "I was hoping you would know."

"It was… black. Black as night… and death," Finn frowned painfully, "except for two glowing white eyes. They were like evil stars…" The human paused. "Jake, it spoke about my origin."

"What?! What did it say?"

"I'm… not sure… Nothing specific, but still…" Finn's gaze dropped to the ground. His fingers clenched into a fist. "It took Flame Princess."

"Don't worry Finn, we'll get her back."

"I swear to Glob that we will," Finn said darkly. He stood, sheathing his sword which had lay beside him. "Come on, Jake. Where did it disappear to?"

"The water, man."

Jake and Finn approached the edge of the pool that once seemed so serene, but now held a terrible beast somewhere within. Finn peered into the water, the cerulean pool the same color as his eyes, and set his shoulders back determinedly. Jake grinned slightly at the aspect of the start of an adventure.

"You ready for this, man?" he asked.

Finn nodded. "You know I am."

"Then let's go!" The duo leapt into the pond, down, down, deeper than imagined, and into the unknown.

* * *

It was impossibly cold. The water chilled to the very bone, icier than the Ice King's snow. Finn felt like he was under the process of transforming into ice chunks as he sank further and further down to the bottom, until eventually his feet hit metal.

_Metal?_

Finn glanced down and spotted an iron hatch at the base of the pond. He silent motioned to Jake, who stretched over and examined the small door. Deciding it seemed safe, the dog pulled the hatch open. A sudden suction with the strength of a whirlpool pulled the two down into the opening against their will. Finn curled into a ball as the watery world spun around him. Between the swirling and blending colors around him, the human could catch glimpses of Jake being twisted and thrown about as well. The boy couldn't help but wonder how any kind of creature, monster or not, would willingly submit themselves to travel like this.

Finn's thoughts were cut short as he was thrown out of the water and skidded over a rocky surface. The stone scraped his shoulder, but he ignored the pain, instinctively grasping at the solid ground and trying to find a hold so he wouldn't be dragged back in the lake. Blinking heavily, Finn cleared his vision and grasped the comprehension that he was no longer in the lake beside his house, but below it in a hidden cavern. At least, that was what he assumed after a swift examination of his environment. A moldy ceiling with pointed stalactites hung low over his head, and the dark rocky walls beside him were splashed wet with water. Shaped like a giant had taken a large bite out of the wall, a circular opening was in the stone nearby, and it faded into black as it tunneled far into the distance. A few feet away, a sea-green pool rippled.

"Jake?" Finn rasped, his voice raw from swallowing water.

A silent moment passed, followed by a cough, and then, "Y-you okay, Finn?"

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm good." Jake paused. "Just wet. You know how my fur can get sometimes when it comes to water." Finn grinned half-heartedly and got to his feet. Still slightly waterlogged, he went to lean against the side of the cavern, but stopped after feeling the spongy and moist wall meet his chilled skin. Instead, the human looked to Jake. The dog was shaking the lake from his fur, spraying droplets all around him in sheen coat of water. He finished momentarily and trotted over to Finn on all fours.

"That was weird," Jake remarked. "I wonder how long that hatch has been at the bottom of our lake?"

Finn glanced at the pool. A short waterfall cascaded down from an oval hole in the ceiling. "I wonder how Flame Princess is after going through that… All the water… I hope she's okay," he sighed.

"I'm sure she's fine, man. Why would that thing go to all the trouble of kidnapping her just so it could harm her?"

"What?" Finn stared blankly.

Jake exhaled. "I'm just saying there's probably some motive behind that monster's kidnapping. You know, that thing has probably been the cause of all the other princesses' disappearances too."

Finn adjusted his sword unconsciously. "But Jake, these are some of my toughest friends. If this creature has kidnapped them, then just how strong _is_ it? How will we be able to beat it and free the princesses?"

"Finn, knowing PB and FP, the monster is probably already tied up somewhere with the girls drinking tea beside it, just waiting for us to show them the way out." Jake wagged his tail encouragingly. "Just relax, man."

Finn smiled. "Yeah Jake. Figure we should explore this tunnel then?" he suggested, jabbing a thumb at the hole in the wall.

"I thought you'd never say it!" Jake bounded forward eagerly. Finn had stepped forward to follow his friend when something cold and oily slid around his leg.

* * *

**I do not own any rights to Adventure Time. Please comment!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Jake!"

Finn's abrupt shout paused the dog in mid-step, and Jake turned around to receive the sight of his human friend sliding across the rocks, a glossy tentacle attached to his ankle. Finn was kicking ferociously with his free foot in an attempt to free himself.

"Whoa!" Jake stretched over and smashed an enlarged fist into the tentacle. The slimy thing recoiled and slipped back into the water, loosening its grip on Finn. The boy scrambled to his feet, drawing his sword and holding it in front of him like a shield. The water was suddenly tranquil, save for a few rows of ripples gently skimming over the surface.

"What do you think this thing is, Jake?" Finn inquired, moving back toward the dog.

"I dunno man," Jake replied, his voice hushed. The water exploded, spraying droplets of cerulean liquid everywhere like rain. At the center of the eruption was a colossal beast. It had an ovular, lopsided skull the color of dark coffee and vampire teeth protruding from its mouth. Pale cobalt eyes were sunk into the sides of its head, and thin gills flapped just below them. The body was that of an octopus, save for the oily dark color dying its skin, as if a staining ink sac had burst and colored it black. Finn planted his feet resolutely on the ground.

"Whatever it is, let's take it down!" he exclaimed, and leapt forward, Jake close at his heels. The monster's grotesque head jerked toward the two. It clacked its vampire-like teeth together and flung a tentacle in their direction. Finn dove to the side, the slimy thing barely an inch from his head, and swung his sword. The blade sunk easily into the oily flesh, but the monster hardly reacted, instead just sent another tentacle swinging at the duo. This one was easily blocked by Jake's giant paw. Finn ducked under other incoming tentacles and was quickly at the water's edge.

"Do it, man!" Jake shouted. Finn planted a foot on the slick rock and launched himself in the air at the beast. He landed firmly and sank his sword into the lopsided skull. The creature released a high pitched, siren-like sound, and lurched backwards. Finn flipped off, and Jake ran to his side, prepared to fight if the creature wasn't quite defeated. There was no need. The monster shrieked again, gray liquid streaming from the gash in its malformed head, and collapsed heavily on the shore. Finn and Jake approached it warily.

Jake stretched a paw forward and poked the creature. It didn't respond. "I think it's dead, man," the dog observed. Finn nodded, sheathing his sword. Jake frowned and padded over to the strange blood spilling out of the coffee-colored skull. He sniffed. Finn glanced at the dead sea monster. The pale eyes stared into the distance at nothing and a purple tongue hung out limply in between the needle teeth. This close the human could see several rows of the sharp fangs, like a shark's. "Hm," Jake said.

"What is it, Jake?" Finn asked.

"It's got the same scent as that black goop in PB's room."

"What? Really?" Finn paused. "But you said it smelled like nothing. How can you tell it has the same smell?"

"Well, I've never smelled anything that had no scent except that goop and this monster. It's like they're the same thing almost…" Jake walked back over to Finn.

The human frowned, placing a finger to his chin. "I wonder what it's doing down here."

Jake shrugged. "Dunno man, but it sure should get out more. Maybe get a nice tone to the skin. I mean, look at that horrible slimy bruised color. No babe would ever want to go for something like that."

"Jake… You know it's dead right? I don't think it cares how it looks."

"Never too late to start!"

Finn rolled his eyes and turned. "Okay Jake. Come on; we should begin exploring that tunnel."

"Right!" The two friends walked into the dark passageway, unknowing to what awaited them in the blackness. Behind them, the grotesque monster lay still on the rocky shore, ashen blood yet trickling out of its skull. A slender shadow emerged from a hidden cavern in the stone walls and stepped over the dead creature, following Finn and Jake down the murky tunnel without notice.

* * *

"Finn?" Flame Princess murmured dimly, blinking open her auburn eyes. For a moment she wondered if she were back in the fire kingdom, for the princess was lying on the floor of a giant, familiar glass lamp. She sat up weakly, still drained from her extensive use of intense heat while battling the black goop, and brushed a fiery lock of hair from her vision. Shady cavern walls were visible in the distance, but that was the only thing which she could see to give any hint where she was. Her faint flame caused stalagmites to send elongated shadows over a stone floor. "Hello?" she called softly.

"Flame Princess," a familiar voice responded.

Flame Princess turned around, but saw no one. "Princess Bubblegum?"

"Yes. I can see you through a hole in the wall."

Flame Princess skimmed over the cavern and eventually caught sight of a small opening in the rock to her left. She could see the pink hair of the candy kingdom's princess. "I see you now."

"Did something happen to Finn?" Princess Bubblegum questioned. "You said his name when you woke up."

Flame Princess drew in a gentle breath. "I don't know. I was already half unconscious when the monster came after him the second time."

"What?! What monster?!"

Flame Princess quickly enlightened the candy princess to the attack made on her and Finn by the monstrous goo beast. When she was finished, she placed one hand against the glass delicately and stared into the darkness. "I hope Finn's okay," she murmured quietly.

Princess Bubblegum was silent for a moment, thinking. "Flame Princess… We were obviously captured by the same creature, and I'll bet that the other princesses are here somewhere."

"Where is _here_, exactly?"

Bubblegum ignored her. "But what exactly does our enemy hope to accomplish by bringing us all into the same place? What do they want?"

Flame Princess clenched her hand into a fiery fist. "Finn," she whispered.

"What did you say?"

"Finn. We're bait for Finn, aren't we? That's it, isn't it?" She glanced at the hole where Princess Bubblegum resided. "He's going to come looking for us. He's a hero; it only makes sense."

Bubblegum didn't respond. Flame Princess sighed and sank to the ground, crossing her legs as she had done the many days she had been held captive in the lantern in the fire kingdom. A familiar scorch mark on the glass caught her eye. She was in the _exact_ lamp as before.

"You were the one who had my father imprison me, weren't you?" The words were out of her mouth before she had thought them through.

"And if I was?" was the answer. "I did it for all of Ooo's safety."

"And somehow the exact thing you were worried about happened anyway."

"Not all plans are perfect. Nevertheless, you are very unstable when it comes to Finn. I still disapprove of your relationship with him."

"I'm sorry for that," Flame Princess said, "but it is not your choice." She breathed in deeply, feeling her flame slowly regaining its strength. "So, do you have a plan how we can get out of this place yet?"

"Soon," Bubblegum replied, "but first I want to learn more about our captor. I'm beginning to work out just who he is."

* * *

**Comments are very welcome!**

**I do not own any rights to Adventure Time.**


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